Who doesn't have fond memories of the annual church tea and bazaar? I enjoyed them as a child, and I continue to enjoy them. They are wonderful community gatherings, but, as a fundraiser, they make little sense. My recent column looks at their mysterious fundraising logic that tugs on our hearts and keeps the annual tradition thriving.
The mysterious fund raising logic of church teas
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| Image courtesy of Apolonia/FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
At a church tea I recently
attended, for the price of my $2 tea ticket, I received the equivalent of a
sandwich and a selection of sweets, plus my beverage. Certainly, the ingredients alone cost more than the ticket
price.
This is also true for the bazaar
where the value of the goods donated exceeds the sale price, and I am not even
considering the value of people’s time and skill level. At the sewing and
knitting tables, one can buy expertly made items for less than the cost of the
materials. The same thing happens at the bake table.
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| Image courtesy of Marcus/FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
The mystery table is the most illogical of all
The mystery table, while
extraordinarily fun, may quite possibly be the most illogical fundraiser ever
conceived. At this table, people purchase gifts that others have donated, wrapped, and labeled with the age range and sex for which
the gift is most appropriate. Even if someone “re-gifts” an item, its value is
greater than the standard mystery table price of a loonie or toonie. A person can easily donate $20 or more
in mystery gifts, only to sell them for a whopping $4 or $5.
As a matter of economics, the
logical conclusion is that the church tea and bazaar is inefficient as a
fundraiser. So, why bother? Wouldn’t it be better if we all just made a cash
donation?
Making money isn't everything
My unequivocal answer is, “No.”
Not everything needs to make economic sense, nor are the most important things
measured in dollar amounts.
There is more at stake here than making money.
While it is true that the event
attracts more involvement from women than men, it brings together members of
the church whose paths may typically cross only on a Sunday. It gives people
the chance to work together towards a common goal despite their varied
interests and abilities.
In a small town, at least, the
church tea and bazaar is an ecumenical gathering as well as a popular gathering
place for the secular community. At the church tea and bazaar, people renew
acquaintances, catch up on family news, and make arrangements to get together. There is a hustle and bustle about
church teas that has more to do with relationships than with money.
Memories of the fishpond
I have wonderful memories of
church teas that go back to childhood. The highlight of the bazaar was the
“fishpond”. A nickel bought us a “fishing rod” that we dropped behind a bed
sheet. We would pull up our fishing rod to find a paper fish attached which we
exchanged for a prize. I can still
picture Mrs. Mallot, the woman who ran the fishpond for my entire childhood and
beyond, sitting on a stool, surreptitiously attaching a fish to the paper clip.
As a young mother, the Saturday
afternoon outing was a highlight. It gave me a chance to socialize with my
peers, and the children looked forward to the little sandwiches without crusts,
being with their grandmothers, and seeing their friends. Now, I enjoy helping
out (you’ll find me at the mystery table) or simply attending the tea. The
church tea and bazaar continues to enrich my experience of being a member of a
community.
It fullfills the need to belong
The church tea and bazaar has
withstood the test of time because it helps fulfill the basic human need of
belonging. It is an inclusive event in which everyone, regardless of age,
socio-economic status or belief, can participate. The profits, though helpful for the church, are secondary to
the task of bringing people together. We would be less of a community without
it.
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